The J-Diamond RV Resort is nestled behind the infamous (since 1938 a billboard boasts along Highway 395) Erick Schat’s Bakkery.
The Host we met (Rachel) was super nice. Our spot was designated and I got a little excited when she told us to go to #99. (Like I said in my last post, I just like that number a lot and it felt “lucky”.)
Distracted by the baking heat, we did not notice much of our surroundings immediately. We were eager to park the thing and get our space organized so we could go to dinner with Rob and Jennie in Paradise.
PARKING/BACKING THE TRAILER IN
There is a GIANT TREE (I’m gonna guess 20 foot circumference) tree between our spot and the family on the north side.
We have a big concrete slab to call our “porch” which is nice.
On the south side is a trailer that is being picked apart by birds thread by thread. I’m gonna guess the last time it moved was a year ago, maybe more.
To the west of us is a row of RV’s and a CREEK that is flowing madly and a family of ducks enjoy.
On the east side is a row of permanent type trailers and their yards are packed with their belongings. Directly behind us is a garden! In it is a mysterious bottle-like contraption.
The people have been really cool and wander through our backyard to and from each other’s rigs. One guy came buzzing up during our arrival in a monster rail offering help.
Randy parked the Lorax LIKE A BOSS. He is definitely getting better and better at this task!! So cool.
My job was to help get the “arrival” checklist done helping Randy stabilize and make sure we were as even as possible. We did that quickly leaving the pets in the truck with the AC blasting and shade.
Next I had to confront the absolute MESS of the interior. I have a great system now in my kitchen to make sure nothing is broken or destroyed. It worked.
Having to re-arrange all of the over-weight area ruined my plan so I began to dig out the items one by one. Once that was done and the power turned on (listening for that popping sound indicating our surge protector was humming) we cranked the AC, opened up the slide-out and brought the pets in.
We were both drenched in sweat and hurrying to be ready to go to our dinner date at the Winterburn’s house (which we did not know how far away we would be driving).
I was next assigned to getting the water set up. Rachel (our Camp Host) mentioned we would have cable but I discovered we did not bring a wire to go from the cable box to our trailer – oh well.
The last day we watched cable TV was July 27th, 2014! I would not miss having cable really so no biggie.
Got the water rolling and then we took showers to cool off and prepare the pet’s dinners.
We began our drive to Jennie and Rob’s place noticing the mountains on our left. It was dry as a bone (something we were getting used to in Simi Valley, California) and definitely “high desert” terrain.
The neighborhood they live in is called Paradise. When we walked through the front door and out on to the deck we could see why. There was a slight haze from the Diaz Fire lingering but through it we could see The Buttermilk’s and Mt Tom. AH-MAZE-ING.
Jennie is a yoga professional (she has studios in Simi Valley!) and hosts a retreat in Bishop for yoga teachers. The house is zenfully calm, peaceful and serene. The views just add to it. I imagined having a cup of coffee in the morning then working on yoga all day. Ahhhhh….
There were three treats at the house: their pets!
Their neighborhood survived a terrible 500 acre fire in late 2016 (Owens River Fire) but from the deck we only saw a little haze from the Diaz Fire currently still happening.
We talked about so much and learned a lot about each other – we have a lot more in common which I thought was neat.
After dessert we headed back home to find the pets happy to see us (when aren’t they!?).
The drive home was so peaceful. Rob and Jennie were our first visit on our journey away from all that we have known and relied on as a home base. We are grateful and thankful for that time together.
Arriving at The J-Diamond in the darkness was a bit spooky. The number of trailers (which range in age and aesthetics) lined up around us was awkward and not comfortable. The heat was still pouring off the ground and buildings.
Randy did his usual “security walk around”. We agreed to sleep with the AC on all night. This is something we both really don’t like at all.
By 9pm we had climbed into bed for our first night in a strange new place and were fast asleep with full happy bellies.
It was a decent Day 1 on our official Wanderlust Journey.
